Tips on hunting small food plot.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Alright well I work for a guy who owns a lot of hunting land with a bunch of stands and food plots. He gave me permission to pick out a spot to hang a stand at and I chose an older, smaller food plot. Now what i'm trying to figure out is were to hang a stand and how to hunt this plot. And I know pictures would help but I dont have any so ill do the sbest I can to describe it.

 

 

 Its pretty much an old logging road that leads us threw the woods. Now right off the road to the right is the food plot you can see it if your driving up the pathway. The plot is clover and covers maybe 25 yards in by about 40 yards wide. All around the plot is thicker tall stuff, some I hope dies off before the season but beyond the grass leads right into the woods. Now... Would you hunt the egde right off the plot or would you walk threw the grass near were they funnel in and hunt in the woods to shoot them on their way to the plot.

 

Im looking to make it a nice set up and have never had the chance to be the only person hunting a food plot. I figure I have had a trail camera there for a few weeks so if I get some deer pictures ill share them and maybe they will give a better look at the area. 

 

 

Any input on how to hunt these smaller plots??

[growalot]

what's the wind to the path to the plot?'''.....is there any mast trees near by?'''are there good sized trees to help break you out line..where are the ending and water features located?

[jjb4900]

growalot, would you say the bucks are usually the last to enter the foodplots and usually hang back in the woods until last light or at least until does have been out in it awhile?

[BizCT]

I've only hunted food plots once, while in PA. State land food plots. Each night the does came out first, then small bucks. Spikes, 3's, and 4's all running around. From what I understand, most mature bucks come in just before dark (if your lucky) or after dark.

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[G-Man]

Access to and wind direction should be your main concerns. You didn't say how the sign was other or in surrounding area.. is it a secluded plot or on edge of woods.. it all effects when deer will use it and where they come from.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

what's the wind to the path to the plot?'''.....is there any mast trees near by?'''are there good sized trees to help break you out line..where are the ending and water features located?

 

 

My best guess on the wind would be that it follows the path of the trail but that could change on any given day right?

 

Now if you could imagine your average logging road. Just pretty much a straight path a few miles threw the woods that leads to the cabin. We cleared the area with chain saws and what not and grew the plot out that was a few years ago. So its pretty much just that plot in that general. The water source is a few smaller ponds within 80 yards of the plot.

 

There are deer sign all around and a smaller buck was taken from that area last year. Bigger trees are all around hence it being the woods. So finding a tree for a stand wouldn't be a problem. Its sort of hard to explain but I want to do what I can to make the best out of the spot. Im going to get the trail camera from that area this weekend I hope a few pictures will give a better look of the set up.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Access to and wind direction should be your main concerns. You didn't say how the sign was other or in surrounding area.. is it a secluded plot or on edge of woods.. it all effects when deer will use it and where they come from.

 

 

Access would be my main concern because boarding the edges of the food plot is tall thick grass. And unless it gets colder and dies off it will make some noise walking threw it, but at the same time I was wondering if trying to hunt them on their way there would be the way to go.

[G-Man]

Access is allowed by wind direction. 1 Stand means only hunting 1x a week. If you scent up the plot going in or out your wasting your time,any bigger buck will be gone.hunting a weekend 1 stand is not enough. 3-5 days of rest between hunts from it is what you should try for. Stand should be set up for prevalent wind direction anaccess route should allow an undetected approach to stand ,even if its longer than walking down the logging road and involves crossing creeks/swamp. Sm plots and small properties have a lot in common and it doesn't take much to disturb them. You may want to rethink The plot and look for approaches to it that are maybe more ac.accessable. Its always better to have a stand in a place where you can kill a deer that you may see, than in a place to see deer that you may get. Lots of big trees ddoesn't give you lots of stand placement options. If you draw a circle 18 yards from the spot you want to hunt. Your stand has to go on the downwind side of that circle. That's your tree.... doesn't matter if it a big strait one or twisted to heck or all Limby. If its not possible to set up in look for another target spot. Don't just hang a stand close. Its the detail you adhere to that makes the difference in killing a good buck or not,

[growalot]

I agree with every thing G-man says to one exception...the tree...experience has shown me that even with stands being in trees with the proper PREVAILING wind(this being one blowing over the plot toward your tree)... that it doesn't stop the deer from coming in from your back side or cross wind..and the wind swirling if in hill country..as it does here....which if you are up against a larger tree the deer can look right at you and if you are not moving around won't nail you....Not always do all deer travel the winds the same way....some will move with the winds to their back and rely on their eye sight...others travel cross winds a lot( I see buck doing this often) and others with the wind to their face...constantly checking their back trail

 

You really need to get a feel for the deer in the hunting area..which takes some off season time watching them...for now....going with what has been offered above will help...and if there is tall grass around the plot why worry about it?  to me it's a good thing...you shouldn't be close enough to the plot that you'd walk through it..and if your in a tree stand your shooting over it..

As far as when buck enter...I have to say...I've never shot a buck in a plot....or even near one ...the younger buck enter the plots moving on the very edge and some times just at first light...11-2pm...and 3-dark...it really depends on the routines of resident deer and the activity of rutting deer...Good Luck...just try to be stealthy going in as scent free as possible and cover your back/arms as far as tree size...have fun and make sure your comfy to avoid moving around...

[phade]

I really don't like hunting a food plot edge for a mature buck. My advice is to look at how one would approach, why, and where his bed is likely located. Back off the plot edge to where his safe zone allows him to be on his feet before shooting light ends or catching him coming back to bed.

 

For younger bucks and does and general activity, hunting on a small kill plot is fantastic. Plenty of solid advice thus far.

 

My question is, are there tons of small food plots on this parcel? Sure sounds like it from your description. That's kind of a monkey wrench in trying to figure out what deer are where and what they prefer to eat and also what plot do they tend to go to. Maybe they mosey from kill plot to kill plot to a destination source. Don't know. Having too many small food plots can make hunting harder in my opinion. Sort of like this bumper crop we have of hard and soft mast coming up. Better off in lean years or a few kill plots and a destination source.

[growalot]

Having too many small food plots can make hunting harder in my opinion

 

Yep that's one reason why I plant so many(other than I have lots of land to smooth) and have so..so many stands and blinds....gets the deer on the property ...but doesn't make it a barrel shoot...I have no idea what stand or plot they may be near at any given time...makes it more fun for me...

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Thanks for all the advice guys, i'm going to give it another few weeks before I put my stand up and couple more weeks of seeing were the deer are coming in from. And ill hopefully end up having some pictures of deer to post and get some of the surrounding area.

 

After reading threw all the post my main concern is getting to my stand without making much noise and working with wind.